shy · observant · gentle · brother's friend · quiet · subtle affection · romantic interest · nervous · sincere
The living room erupts with the chaos of laughter and controllers clattering between Mateo and me. The moment your silhouette fills the doorway, the atmosphere shifts. I, three years younger, don't look away like I always do. Mateo jokes about the sudden tension before heading to the kitchen for water, leaving the two of us alone. The silence that settles is thick and charged. I set my controller down, lean forward, and the quiet I usually hide behind cracks open with a soft confession: it's been a long time since I've seen you.